Author: ericmistry

I am a food enthusiast and always am looking for new flavors to enjoy.
Moved In, and the First Adventure!

Moved In, and the First Adventure!

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I am finally starting to settle into London.

 

The flights were pretty uneventful, and I met some interesting people en route. Jackie, a retired nurse from Toledo, Ohio, regaled me with stories of her family, experiences as a nurse, and her travels in Europe when she was younger. A nameless couple from the English countryside encouraged me to check out Wagamama, a Japanese Fusion restaurant. Alice, a student from the UK, gave me a list of clubs, landmarks, and restaurants to check out.

After surviving the flight (with The Hunger Games and Safe House providing me with some in-flight entertainment) I breezed through customs thanks to my program letter being and decent organization of other documents.

I then met up with the renownedly-efficient London public transportation system for the first time. Two tube rides and a taxi (with an entertaining “is he actually speaking English?!?!?!?” cab driver) ride later, I arrived at the flat. It's pretty awesome, and I will be posting some pictures as soon as I am unpacked.

After a quick flat orientation and the timely arrival of my final flatmate, we went on our first adventure. We ventured out to find some groceries for our daily meals. Successful in our quest, we returned home victorious, the spoils of a small local grocery now reside in our fridge. Tomorrow, we will be having some pasta with with garlic roasted shrimp, spinach, and red sauce, with a small salad. Tonight, however, we celebrate by going out to eat!

More on that soon. (hopefully with pictures!)

 

Packing: Complete

Packing: Complete

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I'm writing this post waiting for my plane from Des Moines to Detroit to board. However, there's a charge for wi-fi in DSM and Detroit, so I'm waiting until I hit London to actually post this online.

But in any case, the rest of the packing went really (suprisingly) smoothly. I got the bags packed without going over the limits too much thanks to help from the venerable Bomi Mistry, my dad.

 

The Awesomely-Orange Interior of My Suitcase

 

The Packed Bags

The Essential Carry-On Items

  • (Flip Video Camera, iPhone 3GS, Waterproof Photo pouch, Extra-Battery Charger, iPad Photo Adapter, iPad, DSLR, & Leather Journal)

 

We managed to fit all of the essentials, but some more objects had to be sacrificed to fit within the weight and size requirements. My tripod, some extra contact solution, and a few extra shirts were left behind at home. It's slightly nerve-racking fitting everything I will be taking for a 3-month+ journey into just three bags, but it's also comforting to know that I will be able to get anything I really need fairly easily by being in the modern metropolis of London.

 

Let the traveling begin!

 

And so the packing goes…

And so the packing goes…

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I leave for London on Monday. 

I currently have my things all laid out, somewhat folded, and suitcases picked from the plethora that live in the basement. Today, I will attempt to fit everything needed for my four-ish month abroad experience into three suitcases. I’m missing the days when I was younger and everyone was permitted two LARGE checked bags for free. Now, the biggest bag I can take must weigh less that 51 pounds fully packed. The other two bags are a Nike swimming backpack filled with what doesn’t fit into the checked bag, and my backpack filled with my electronics and other valuables.

 Yesterday’s attempt at packing the things I had chosen did not end in success. Instead, I was forced to cull my already meager (in my prone-to-overpacking opinion) clothing choices even more. Tonight, I will try again, filling the suitcases and hoping they don’t exceed the elf-sized weight limits. 

This is going to be good.